Wednesday, December 28, 2016

The Ugly Things Moscow Might Do if Ukraine is Consigned to a Russian Sphere of Influence

Paul
Goble

Staunton, December 28 – All too many
people in the West are casually talking about recognizing Ukraine as lying
within a Russian sphere of influence without reflecting what that might mean
for Ukraine and Ukrainians. Such people might want to revise their thinking
after hearing what well-connected Russian commentator says should be done in
that event.

Once
Ukraine is acknowledged as part of Russia’s sphere of influence, Khazin says, “everything
will depend on what we want. If we want to keep Ukraine whole but loyal to
Russia then it will be necessary to return the Donbass with a change of
leadership in Kyiv … Further, counter-propaganda will begin. The population
there won’t be delighted in fact.”

“There,
crudely speaking, will be several million people whom it will be impossible to
correct. Well, it will be necessary to liquidate part of them and drive out the
rest,” the Moscow commentator says.

On
the other hand, Khazin says, Moscow may decide to dismember Ukraine. Then, “the
picture would be the following.” The eastern portion of Ukraine now “should go
into Russia as oblasts with complete de-Nazification and de-Ukrainianization,
with a complete prohibition of the use of Ukrainian alphabet, Ukrainian texts,
broadcasts and teaching in Ukrainian.”

Moreover,
he continues, the rest of Ukraine “must become an agrarian state,” one which
will not be allowed to have its own “army or industry.” If there is
overpopulation, then people should be sent to the Russian Far East. And the
Western four of five oblasts of Ukraine “should be given to Poland.”

That
is, Khazin says, “all of the Banderite people must be driven there and handed
over to the Poles. The thing is that, in the division of the world, Poland will
also go to us. We must secure the loyalty of Poland and have them occupied by
someone or other.”